Hacking

Hacking, more accurately referred to as cracking, typically refers to the act of penetrating a computer system or network. Hacking also may refer to a number of other activities, both legal and illegal. These include:

Modifying software or hardware in order to violate copyright law or software licensing agreements (this is also referred to as "cracking" and "piracy")

Modifying software or hardware for extra functionality or performance

Creating software or devices to solve problems

Using an existing computer system in an unusual, clever way to solve a problem

Staging pranks

Hackers act for a variety of reasons, ranging from curiosity and bragging rights to personal gain or vandalism.

Crackers who act with criminal intent are known as "black hat" hackers. Crackers who don't have a criminal intent (e.g., those paid by software companies to research security issues or investigate new computer viruses) are referred to as "white hat".